The majority of US households receive television content through cable television systems or satellite television systems. Such systems have traditionally used a few OEM suppliers of hardware (e.g., set top boxes) and have not provided for integration of non-security navigation functionality of set-top boxes directly into digital TV sets.
Under this scenario, navigation and television operational functions are generally controlled by the remote control device supplied by the service provider. This relegates the television set to the role of a simple display device, often masking capabilities of the television device so that they are either forgotten or seldom used because of need for the use of multiple remote controls to access the functionality. This frustrates innovation within the television display device itself, which may readily be provided with capabilities that are inaccessible using generic “universal” remote controls such as those provided by the service providers (e.g., MSOs or Multiple Service Operators).
In addition, an entire business has arisen for third party remote control manufacturers who incorporate the remote control codes for multiple device manufacturers into their remote controls, thereby allowing them to control products built by someone else with no licensing requirement. In this case as well as the case of cable or satellite Set-top boxes (STBs), the remote control for the STB or the universal remote control often winds up being used to control multiple devices with the factory remote control for any particular device being put aside and going unused. In the case of a television set, for example, this can result in bypassing functionality and improved interfaces available from the television set's built in user interface.